News Release: Coup Against The Nigerian Judiciary And Suspension Of The Nigerian Constitution

The news media has been awash this evening with the news of the purported suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honorable Mr. Justice Walter S C Onnoghen, GCON by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR and the swearing in of Hon Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria. We are told that this was pursuant to an Ex-Parte Order that was issued by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday, 23 January 2019.

News Release: A Coupist's Removal Of Chief Justice Of Nigeria

President Buhari

To say that we totally condemn the coupist and impeachable ousting of the CJN, Hon Justice Walter Onoghen by the sitting coupist President is an under-statement. The CJN’s purported ousting is also nothing short of political witch-hunting, abuse of power and office; and ethno-religious persecution and intolerance. The coupists are so callously impatient that they could not wait for the substantive CJN to statutorily reach his age of retirement on 22nd December 2020 having been born on 22nd December 1950 or pursue his ousting through due, diligent and constitutional processes.

We have carefully followed the reactions and counter-reactions trailing the said impeachment of the Constitution by way of coupist removal of the CJN and unconstitutional appointment of a vulnerable and amenable element as “acting CJN”. We have specifically read and analyzed the scripted speech of Mr. President and reactions from the Nigerian Bar Association and the opposition political parties, etc.